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Beer gardens

Denver International and Pittsburgh International airports are ready to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Denver Airport beer garden

Oktoberfest season is in full swing, giving airports around the country a chance to let their beer-centric bars, restaurants and brewpubs shine.

For the fifth year, Denver International Airport is bringing back the “Beer Flights” beer garden, featuring some of Colorado’s top micro-breweries and brew masters.

The beer garden is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Sept. 14 – Sept. 24 (weather permitting) on DEN’s outdoor plaza between Jeppesen Terminal and Westin Denver International Airport. Tickets are available at the door for $10 and include a souvenir glass and ten, 2-ounce samples of beer. (Entry is 21 or older and the entry fee is cash only).

In additon to beer tasting, the beer garden will have local entertainment daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. as well as brew trivia, table games and other activities. Participating brewers will have giveaways for the attendees. And Eldorado Natural Spring Water will provide free bottled water so visitors can stay hydrated while they enjoy the beer garden.

“Beer Flights is such a unique event that does a great job showcasing one of Colorado’s best assets: our craft beer community,” said Colorado Brewers Guild spokesperson Steve Kurowski. “I love it because you just don’t see anything like this at any other airport, anywhere.”

10 Colorado breweries will be represented at the event and each brewery will have two beers to sample. They include:

The celebration will include traditional food and drink offerings, live music and fun activities with a German/Bavarian twist.

“Oktoberfest is celebrated throughout our region and across the globe,” said Eric Sprys, Chief Commercial Officer, Allegheny County Airport Authority. “We’re excited to host our first official Oktoberfest with one of Pittsburgh’s largest and oldest craft brewers and bring a bit of Deutschtown to the airport.”

On September 20, Pittsburgh’s own Autobahn-The Karl Lukitsch Band will don full lederhosen and play Oktoberest music from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Center Core. Throughough the event, a “willkommen” team will greet passengers with samples of bite-sized hand-baked soft pretzels, give away gift certificates for shopping and dining at the airport and share details about Oktoberfest happenings at Penn Brewery and the other airport bars and eateries.

Penn Brewery at PIT

Penn Brewery’s new brewpub Concourse A will have festive décor, plenty of seasonal brews and a special menu throughout October. For the Sept 20 party, guests will be treated to complimentary pretzel-bites and mini-strudel bites.

“We’re thrilled to host our first Oktoberfest at the airport,” said Linda Nyman, marketing director and co-owner of Penn Brewery. “It’s a longstanding tradition at Penn Brewery. Our goal is to give travelers a true taste of Pittsburgh, along with a little dose of local history.”

Keep in mind that lots of airports now have great brewpubs and will certainly be offering special Oktoberfest and seasonal beers right about now.

We’ll add other airport Oktoberfest events as we learn of them. Feel free to send along your finds in the comments section below.

It’s Oktoberfest season and that means the return of the “Beer Flights” beer garden at Denver International Airport.

DEN’s beer garden will be open from 11 am to 7 pm from September 30 through October 10 and not only coincides with worldwide Oktoberfest celebrations but also with the city’s Great American Beer Festival.

In the past, DEN’s beer garden was inside the terminal building, but this year they’re changing things up a bit and holding the event outside on the plaza between the Jeppesen Terminal and the Westin Denver International Airport.

There are more than 200 established breweries in Colorado and the state is home to over 10 percent of the nation’s craft breweries, so savor the carefully-selected samples from the 10 breweries which will be on site. (Each brewery will have two different beers to sample.)

· Avery Brewing – El Gose, Joes Pils

· Boulder Beer – Buffalo Gold, Pulp Fusion

· Epic Brewing – Tart ‘n Juicy, Lil’ Brainless

· Odell’s – Drumroll, Myrcenary

· Oskar Blues – Priscilla, Beerito

· Elevation Beer Co. – 8 Second Kolsch, Apis IV

· Tommy Knocker – Butthead-Bock, Pick Axe

· SKA Brewing – Steel Toe, Modus Mandarina

· Telluride Brewing – Bridal Veil, Wahcked Out

· Renegage Brewery – Pancake Maple, Consilium

The beer garden will also have live musical performances daily from 4-6 p.m., talks by brew masters, brew trivia, table games, giveaways and a Beer Flights “Passport” for attendees to make notes about the Colorado brews they taste.